Bhopal: Describing the recent Union Budget as "far-sighted" which aims to lay foundation of a strong India, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has asked various departments to make proposals for availing benefits of the schemes announced in the Budget.

"A number of new schemes for different departments have been announced in the Central Budget. If all state government departments make proper preparations now, better benefits can be availed from it for MP," Chouhan said while addressing a meeting on 'Central Budget-possibilities for Madhya Pradesh'.

"Madhya Pradesh should also contribute suggestions for Central Budget's programmes and schemes which are in the process of being made into policies," he said.

All departments should collect information about their schemes and prepare proposals accordingly, he said.

Referring to Smart City Scheme and River Linking Scheme, he directed to prepare proposals in this regard on priority.

Chouhan said further possibilities of interlinking rivers should be explored in MP, adding that the state should start at its own level the scheme to develop farmers' markets for directly purchasing products from them.

Madhya Pradesh will be taken to new heights by 2018 and no stone will be left unturned for this, he said.